Known for his charms on screen as well as his golden voice, Seo In Guk (서인국) remains one of South Korea’s most beloved artists. Initially gaining popularity after winning “Superstar K” in 2009, his music career soared with him racking up achievements such as Gaon Chart K-Pop Award “Song of the Year” in 2013 and “Best OST” award at the APAN Star Awards in 2012.
Other than his music career, Seo In Guk also acquired the “Best Artist Award (Actor) in 2022 at the Asia Artist Awards, the “Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries” at the MBC Drama Awards, and was nominated for a Daesang in 2016 for his role in Shopping King Louie. In this exclusive interview, we talk to Seo In Guk about his upcoming “Heart Cookie” fan meeting at the HGH Convention Centre on 10th October 2025, as well as his recent projects:
1. “Heart Cookie” is such a sweet name for a fan meeting tour—what inspired the theme, and how did you come up with the concept?
I really wanted to use the word “Heart” this time. While chatting with the team, I started thinking—my name is Seo In-guk, right? And back in the day, there was this thing called “Cookie Café” on Daum (not sure if it’s still around)—you might not know it! So I kept playing with the idea of combining “heart” with something else, and we landed on “cookie.”
It clicked because “cookie” also sounds a bit like my nickname “Gukki.” The name “Heart Cookie” naturally sparked ideas for the overall theme and direction, so we decided to go with it. It felt sweet, warm, and symbolic in a way that matched the fan meeting perfectly.
2. Your duet “Couple” with Jung Eun-ji brought back so many memories for ‘Reply 1997’ fans. What was it like reuniting musically after 13 years?
It honestly felt like reuniting with an old friend from back home. We hadn’t worked together in so long, so it was really heartwarming.
The recording process was fun, and performing together again—on music shows, on her YouTube channel, and mine—felt just like a reunion. It brought back a lot of great memories.
3. It was recently announced that you are starring in Netflix’s new dating show, “Better Late Than Single”. Can you tell us a bit about what you look for in a partner?
I naturally gravitate toward kind people. I tend to avoid people who are rude or lack basic manners—it’s almost instinctual for me. That said, I don’t like forced kindness either. I believe kindness should come naturally. If someone is disrespectful to me, I don’t feel obligated to be nice to them in return. But if they’re kind, I try to respond with the same energy. I guess I just appreciate people who are a lot like me in that sense.
4. You’ve had major success in both music and acting. How do you balance the two, and does one currently feel more personal or fulfilling?
Music has always felt more personal to me—probably because I experience a lot more stress when I’m working on it. With acting, I also feel pressure, of course, but it’s not the same kind of stress as when I’m making music. Acting brings me a lot of joy, while music can sometimes be mentally and emotionally exhausting.
That said, I’ve been feeling a lot more relaxed about music lately, so I’ve really started enjoying it again. As for balance—I don’t really think of it that way. It’s more about what opportunities come my way. For example, I can’t just decide to do drama. The production, channel, casting—they all have to line up. So whenever I get the chance, I give it my all. And in between acting projects—or even during them—if I have the time and mental space, I continue working on music.
5. The fan meeting promises “heartfelt moments” and surprise segments—can you give us a small teaser of what KL fans can look forward to?
There are so many things I want to give my fans, so I’ve prepared some special merch for the event. Please look forward to it!
Check out LOL Asia’s official website to find out more about how you can participate in Seo In Guk’s upcoming fan meeting.
Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
